Royal Caribbean Group announced that after an illustrious tenure at the helm of Celebrity Cruises, Lisa Lutoff-Perlo will become Vice President of External Affairs for Royal Caribbean Group, effective May 1.
In her new role, Lutoff-Perlo will continue to report to Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO Jason Liberty. Laura Hodges Bethge, currently Executive Vice President of Shared Services Operations, will become the next President of Celebrity Cruises.
“Lisa has been instrumental in transforming the Celebrity Cruises brand into what it is today,” said Jason Liberty, Chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group. “From helping us introduce the groundbreaking Edge Series ships to promoting the role of women in maritime careers, Lisa has had an incredible career during her time leading Celebrity Cruises and multiple parts of our Royal Caribbean International brand. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Lisa for nearly 18 years, and I know her expertise will be invaluable as she transitions to serve as my Vice President of External Affairs.”.
“It has always been difficult for me to imagine leaving the incredible Celebrity brand, but the time is right to begin an exciting new chapter and hand the reins to a new leader,” said Lisa Lutoff-Perlo. “It has been a great honor to lead this brand and work alongside Celebrity’s phenomenal shore team and crew. Together, our accomplishments have been extraordinary. I am excited to now work closely with Jason on broader initiatives as we sail toward an even brighter future.”.
Lutoff-Perlo's distinguished career with Royal Caribbean Group began in 1985 with her first role as district sales manager, and she went on to pioneer a legacy of innovation. Along the way, she also led Celebrity Cruises to record growth, revenue, and profits, and championed the brand's evolution into the incredible cruise line it is today. Under her leadership, Celebrity Cruises welcomed four new award-winning ships and underwent Celebrity Revolution, one of the industry's largest fleet revitalization projects.
In 2005, Lutoff-Perlo became Celebrity's first senior vice president of hotel operations. In 2012, she was appointed executive vice president of operations for Royal Caribbean International, the first woman in the industry to oversee both maritime and hotel operations. Two short years later, she became the first woman appointed president and CEO of one of the Royal Caribbean Group's brands.
“I would also like to congratulate Laura on her appointment as the next president of Celebrity Cruises,” Liberty added. “With her operational experience, business acumen, and deep knowledge of our company and the cruise industry, I know Laura is the right person to lead Celebrity Cruises into its next phases of growth.”.
Laura Hodges Bethge, who recently served as executive vice president of shared services operations, has been with the company for more than 23 years and has held leadership positions in many different areas, including product development, hotel and marina operations, sales, marketing, product innovation, market development, and investor relations.
Hodges Bethge is an exemplary leader with a long history of success at the company. Previously, she was senior vice president of product development for Royal Caribbean International, leading the teams that conceptualized its innovative ships, private island destinations, and new experiences featured across the award-winning fleet, including the first island in Royal Caribbean's Perfect Day Island Collection – Perfect Day at CocoCay.
“Now with 15 strong ships, this is an exciting time for Celebrity Cruises,” said Laura Hodges Bethge. “This year alone, we will welcome Celebrity Ascent and reach key milestones in the construction of the fifth, yet-to-be-named ship in the groundbreaking Edge series. I look forward to building on the incredible accomplishments of Lisa and this world-class team as we continue to push boundaries and chart new paths in the industry.”.
